>> kimberly: hello, everyone. i'm kimberly guilfoyle with juan williams, eric bolling,

andrea tantaros, juliet huddy. this is "the five." >> kimberly: congressional leaders met with president obama at the white house in a last-ditch effort to come to agreement on the fiscal cliff but neither side is optimistic that a deal will be reached by the deadline. what will it mean for american people? eric? >> eric: well, i'm on the record saying we should name it the obama cliff and swan dive off of it. the only way the democrats will cut spending, because they're forceed in to it. if nothing happens, and the deal is not truck, people paycheck get smaller because the payroll taxes expire. people will have to pay in their taxes to a different way. the alternative minimum tax won't be patched and we'll have to be addressed as well. taxes will go up. spending cuts over time will

happen as well. i think the stock market will be hit hard. i have the most to lose than anyone i know but the only way to fix the economy. >> eric: president obama wants tax cuts to expire for everyone except those making under $250,000 a year. john boehner plan "b" making $1 million. this looked like president obama coming back with the same deal at 250. they are miles apart. >> kimberly: you were able to speak to people on the hill. what was your reaction? >> andrea: the president spread the stories that he will come to the table with a deal. swan dive off the fiscal cliff, hold your nose.

we're going off. president obama wants to us go off hecht will come back with a largeer plan. the obama tax cut. then he will be able to reintate across-the-board sequestration cuts. 8.2% across the board. cut defense and health. they will be able to reintate a lot of programs and give his caucus the opportunity to say look, i am voting for something. i am voting to restore tax cuts for the middle class. voting to restore great thin things. republicans are in a tough position. no one will say vote to restore the tax cut for rich. this is his game plan from day one. >> eric: what is the a terptive? $250,000 and above? we see obama not oftenning cuts at all. looking for spending. >> kimberly: managing the message very well. conciliatory. >> andrea: boehner did -- boehner has taken heat.

in his defense he has taken a ton of flak on this. he has given a terrible hand of cards. but he came to the table. he tried to at least bring something to the floor. mitch mcconnell knows he can't pass anything, any tax cut for everyone under $1 million. kimberly, that wouldn't even pass the senate. >> juan: allow me to introduce a little sanity to this forum. >> andrea: yes, juan. >> juan: say it's incredit to believe me he would say they're far apart. they're not far apart. boehner wants $1 trillion to new revenue. closing loopholes or deduction or whatever. obama is $1.2 trillion. that is not far apart. in terms of cut, boehner said one for one. $1 trillion in terms of the spending cuts. obama is 1.3 more on boehner -- let me finish. obama has stimulus spending

built in. they are not far apart. [ overtalk ] >> eric: boehner can get $1 million and below -- just dance is because -- listen, you can't blame that on democrats. republicans would not come in -- >> andrea: how dare they do that to a guest. >> disgusted. >> kimberly: welcome to the program. >> we're out of time now. >> kimberly: time for a word from our sponsors. political fall-out. people are saying, blame the democrats and republicans. the democrats are winning the messaging here. who is to blame? >> correct me if i'm wrong. conventional wisdom is when all is said and done, obama will look well. what he doesn't care about is the popularity boost in the polls.

what the president cares sabt the legacy. what happens when it's said and done, if the economy tankss and blows it, that is part of the legacy. >> juan: that is exactly right. >> kimberly: invested in getting something done here. >> eric: that is what they want everyone to believe if they get something done it's better for the economy. the dirty secret that is the worst thing to happen. if they do something that is a bad deal, the bad deal will take economy two to three, four years. no deal is only shot we have. we need cuts and deal with the deficit. you have can't do this in a way to do in a sudden flash.

>> juan -- >> juan: hold on. excuse me. do you think republicans have no complicity in passing two wars without funding them? and passing prescription drugs, no funding -- >> andrea: last time i checked a majority of democrats voted if for war. >> juan: republicans voted for this as well is all my point. >> andrea: entitlement, they're not miles apart? >> juan: they're not. >> andrea: what is the plan. >> juan: put on the table change the cpi and change the rate of growth. >> what table? >> eric: slow the rate of growth is not a cut. >> juan: it is. >> eric: it's not. >> juan: even boehner says it's a cut. the left thinks it's a cut. secondly, the president has -- go up to 400 if you want. so what we are talking about is a cut for 99% of americans. they keep tax cuts. you think republicans would celebrate. >> drinking the kool-aid.

>> eric: i agree with you that the republicans are no better in this debate. >> juan: oh, well then, a minute ago your comments had me drinking the kool-aid. >> eric: he was handed a house because they said don't raise taxes. >> andrea: he lost seats! he didn't lost the vote -- >> eric: he didn't lose seats. >> andrea: what will happen is he will get a worse deal. that is the political reality. i know he is a shrewd operator and he tried to get the best deal. great sound. >> andrea: we had a lecture by the white house after the gabrielle giffords shooting. bee

way we talk about guns. but hoyer says holding your children hostage to fiscal cliff. >> this is like taking your child hostage and saying to somebody else i'm going shoot my child if you don't do what i want done. there is no republican lead they're wants to default on our debt. >> eric: that is a different story. not the fiscal cliff. that is debt ceiling debate we were talking about. he says give us a checkbook and taking a shot at republicans. that is different from the fiscal cliff. >> andrea: they are intertwined. not separate entities. i point out is the language he used. con plaited republicans holding their children hostage and murdering them. imagine if the republicans said that. you have don't hear about it.

you hear about it here. >> kimberly: because we put it on fox news. i like to play a game called seal a new deal. go around the table. >> andrea: taken. >> kimberly: it has? >> andrea: yeah, sorry. >> kimberly: we play this and begin with you. let me know what you think. deal or no deal by the time of the deadline? >> no deal. meeting with the political theater. >> kimberly: andrea? >> andrea: no deal. >> kimberly: he doesn't want one. he is all for -- >> eric: there probably will be something early january. >> eric: it will be a bad deal. squishy republicans -- actually you are mad at everybody. mad at republicans and democrats. >> eric: lawmakers in d.c. >> juan: i don't think there is a deal before december 31 but they'll vote on it before january 7 before the markets panic. >> eric: market panic monday.

>> kimberly: no deal. >> excited for tax rate. >> juan: they're appropriate but not excited about it. >> andrea: democrat goes to pass further cuts isn't that acknowledgement that the clinton tax rates were too >> i >> juan: no. she is giving up. okay. you have don't want to hear it. >> andrea: i thought you love the clinton tax rate. >> juan: 39%. >> kimberly: coming up, obama tax cut. hillary clinton is coming back to work after her concussion. will she finally face the music on the benghazi attack? the head of the epa is stepping down after shady behavior sun covered. that's next on "the five." ♪ ♪ mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance

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>> eric: welcome back. we got breaking news. secretary of state hillary clinton coming back to work. the concussion is becoming less concussed apparently and

she may testify about what she knew and when maybe. good news for madam secretary and john kerry whose appointment is on hold while the republicans decide whether to wait to hear from ms. clinton before approving him. bad news for the four dead americans. steins, smith, doherty and woods. hillary's testimony is months overdue. i hope mrs. clinton backs up her promise and "i take full responsibility for benghazi." i hope you do, madam secretary. i hope you don't let the men die without answers. i hope a lot. in sports and business once you hope, you have already lost. she will come back and testify. then what? >> kimberly: this is disappointing. why do we put a push on for her to come do the right thing. this f she has a health issue, she has a health issue.

concussion, memory loss? i don't know. this you seems suspicious. >> eric: you call this a mess. >> andrea: i don't buy this. i am not sure if she testifies we get answers anyway. clinton are not always the most forthcoming in testimony when they are sworn under oath. i hope the g.o.p. senators can three questions. the first, why wasn't the consulate secured after the two attacks. or why weren't they pulled outer consulate closed? why weren't there answers? i hope she answers them. >> kimberly: who ordered them to stand down? did you talk to president? i want a sometimeline. >> eric: what do you make of

this? >> i am kind of with kimberly. i don't know. if she had memory loss? it wouldn't surprise me. hillary clinton served her country. she has been a workhorse. even a vice president -- not vice president. in the white house with her president husband. but as the year goes by and the election cycle goes by i get more distrustful of politicians and politics. >> eric: what do you think, juan? >> juan: i think -- >> eric: will she be north r forth coming with the testimony she gives? >> juan: i don't know why you besmirch her reputation -- >> kimberly: we're not. >> juan: it's way out of line. way out of line. she is the most popular politician for a reason. people respect her work and she represented the country as the face of america to the

world. breaking news. there was a report out on benghazi widely respected and honored report that indicated there were no lies or coverups or assets withheld from protecting the consulate. i don't get it. >> from the beckel institute. >> anything that doesn't fit there were ail yeps in new mexico. >> eric: lisa jackson is stepping down. we found out that she had been using a an alias e-mail address. >> kimberly: i am surprised this is happening. so far we have seen a lack of accountability. nobody stepped down or stepped aside.

they are still retaining the government jobs that they said would step aside. why isn't holder stepping down? >> juan: how is eric holder involved in benghazi? >> kimberly: he is not. >> andrea: they sent in the f.b.i. wink, wink. but holder would get back to us. >> eric: lisa jackson was using a male alias for official business. >> 12,000 e-mails. what are they doing? sending e-mails to each other all over the place. when do they get anything done in washington 12,000 e-mails. i don't think i sent 12,000 e-mails in my life. >> andrea: the biggest failure under her watch was the keystone pipeline.

her administration blocked the keystone pipeline. actively her and her boss' orders. she could go. goodbye. >> eric: juan, quickly. she could step aside and not answer. just she should answer. if you're avoiding having your e-mails seen and understood as a public official you are wrong. she has been outstanding public servant. the environmentists are disappointed obama hasn't listened to her more, especially on fracking and pipeline. i know the right thinks he hasn't done enough but that is part of the story. >> kimberly: why was she pretending to be a man? >> eric: very strange. >> kimberly: very, very strange. >> eric: we'll dig in to that. gun owner and defend over the second amendment i resent michael moore's racist comments. you won't believe what he said

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♪ ♪ >> andrea: it is an interesting choice for this block. inevitable that liberal filmmaker michael moore would weigh in on the gun control debate and no surprise he blamed the mass shooting on of all things racism. >> i think we're a very frightened people. we have been frightened since we landed on the shores. we were frightened of the native people. we were frightened of the slaves we brought over, as we should have been.

that manipulate us with fear. everybody feels like they have to have a gun in their house. what are they afraid of? who do they think will break in the house? freckle face jimmy down the street? i don't think so. i don't think that is who they're afraid of. >> andrea: okay. so he is basically talking about somehow white people have guns. to keep away from black people. this is beyond the pale. every time he does this,be he loses credibility. >> kimberly: honestly, he is insuffer rabble. i hear what -- insufficientable. he doesn't make sense. he is part of the problem. a divider. not a uniter. he is putting down the country. not a positive thing to say about americans at all. he makes us sound like the worst country, the most corrupt and racist.

move! bye, michael, if you hate so it much! >> andrea: what do you think of his comments? he went on to say other slanderous things. relax white people, your guns and insinuated that white people have guns because of black people and crime. as if white people don't commit any crimes, which they do. they commit a lot. >> kimberly: newtown. >> juan: to my mind it's unnecessary. this introduces an element that allows people to ignore reality. it was effort by white to take guns away from black people that really start this argument about gun control in the country. this came up in supreme court debate. second amendment rights affirmed. if you look at who owns guns it's overwhelmingly republicans. gun ownership between black and white. >> kimberly: really? joe manchin back audon it. gawps that is the truth. >> eric: that is inbe

accurate. 81% of americans believe in the right to own guns. gawps i didn't say didn't believe in them. i said who owns gun. >> eric: it's inaccurate, too. >> juan: no, it's not. >> eric: it skew to republicans but not overwhelming majority like you are saying. michael moore is wrong. white people who on the guns aren't afraid of freckle face jimmy down the block. white people who own guns aren't afraid of black people breaking in or holding them up. white people are afraid of moron liberals like michael moore who think they will get guns taken away because they have a liberal democrat in office. so they make sure they go out and buy guns if the idiots take it away. >> andrea: i think comments were racenist themselves. assuming that black people commit crime? why are we afraid of people? maybe you are a racist.

>> i understand he made $50 million on "bowling for columbine" so he is relevant every time a gun issue comes up. but it's hard to take him seriously. try to be a ramshackle every guy next door, every guy but he is livin living in a mansion, $1 million place in n. and michigan. >> andrea: body guards. >> $50 million network or -- net worth or $25 million to $50 million. c'mon. >> juan: he has body guards. i don't know if they guard him or maybe his lunch. >> kimberly: i like anymore "star wars." jaba the hut. >> andrea: kimberly, matt damon, your hero "good will hunting" is giving up on washington, d.c. yes, matt damon, he says the game is rigged. boo-hoo. he is trying to get press for the new movie, which we're going to talk about here called "promised land." rumors it was funded by the united arab emirates, a bit of

a conflict of interest considering it's anti-fracking movie. >> kimberly: what happened to him? he used to be somewhat normal and cool. >> juan. >> he's fine. >> he's not. he's not that fine. he seems really weird lately. >> matt damon does? >> kimberly: matt damon, okay? dorn the "bourne identity" and since he gave up the franchise, down hill. >> he is doing art films now. >> kimberly: that is the problem. he's become liberal and bizarre. now he is not making sense and upset with washington, d.c., and obama -- >> wait, wait, wait. benghazi. just i was going to say -- >> juan: i was going to say aren't republicans is concern there is too much government and conspiracy and the game is ririgged and man isn't getting a break. >> eric: natural' fault. >> kimberly: but he is wrong about fracking. just i don't know if he is right or wrong. >> andrea: paying the salary, big oil? >> juan: isn't that politics? >> andrea: isn't that

interesting. >> juan: i'm telling you. >> andrea: democrats want to get re-elected. he just wants to sell movies. coming up, we lost great people in 2012. "the five" will pay our respects to some of them when we come back.

♪ ♪ >> welcome back to "the five." general normon schwarzkopf passed away at his home after complications from few moania. he was known as norm inc. norman for the role of the commander led coalition of desert storm. 78 years old. he was called storming nowhereman but he kind of like being called bear, warm and

snugly. good man. this brings us to talk about the people and we lost people this year. >> andrea: i chose whitney houston. i loved whitney houston. it still love her. she rocks. >> controversial because of the reason -- >> andrea: a lot of people say she was abusing drugs. she had a talent. her voice is unmatched. a shame what happened to her. give her credit. full of talent. >> kimberly: at the time of her death no illegal drugs in her system. >> eric? >> i spent all morning with you on "fox and friends." >> i love you. kimberly, go ahead. who were you going to say. >> norman, i greatly admired him. incredible hero.

he quietly served. even after he had all the notoriety, he continueed to work hard and advocate for chirp group and charity. i chose dick clark. he was incredible and talented and innovator and entrepreneu entrepreneur. he chased the face of american music. no one will forget amazing, watching the drop in times square. i'll be working new year's eve just like dick clark. >> juan? >> juan: at least you didn't say i was a girl. >> all man to me, baby. >> juan: thank you, love. my choice is andy griffith. i grew up watching andy griffith. anytime i see it still, you know, i just watch. it take mess to a better place in time. i just love it. my family goes on vacation in

northern california. down there, they have an outdoor play which is where andy griffith got his start. one day there was andy griffith. i was like are you kidding me? that is really andy griffith? he is a human being. amazing guy. i am in love with andy griffith. his image of america is burned deep in my consciousness. >> where is that america, juan? where is that? >> juan: i try to live it. >> eric, also very liberal we found out later after andy griffith days. >> oh! >> juan: you make my head hurt! >> let him rest in peace. >> eric: schwarzkopf, equipmenquintessential general.

jusanother guy that died andrew breitbart and close friend of mine and greg gutfeld. i can't tell you how many afternoon and evening i spent across the street having scotchs with him. fantastic guy. he saw the big picture. he saw what was coming. a true hero. >> i will throw out a name you don't know. adam youch. he was one of the basteie boys, mca. he was taken very young. just like breitbart. 47 years old, suffered from cancer. early on beastie boys the big album, trailblazers of that type of music at that time. later on in his life, he became a buddhist.

and later he apologized forto the world for the lyrics that with sexist and homophobic. he did humanitarian things. >> eric: foam phobic. >> he a -- homophobic. >> he apologized. >> i never knew. >> a wild child! >> do you have beastie boy concert anecdotes you'd like to share? >> i don't have any. do you have any? >> i don't. never been to a beastie boy concert. >> when you go, they'd play blips of the songs and you wouldn't get the whole song. i like every word to every song. >> don cornelius died. soul train.

>> summer. >> okay. >> there is breaking news. president will be speaking. so bret, take it away for us. ♪ ♪ but whether he's climbing everest, scuba diving the great barrier reef with sharks, or jumping into the marke he goes with people he trusts, which is why he trades with a company that doesn't nickel and dime him with hidden fees. so he can worry about other things, like what the market is doing and being ready, no matter what happens, which isn't rocket science. it's just common sense, from td ameritrade. [ male announcer ] as the year counts down, your savings can add up with the adt new year's sale. help protect your family with the advanced technology of adt starting at just $99 -- a savings of $300 plus 15% off accessories. but you must call before midnight january 2nd.

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♪ ♪ >> eric: welcome back, everybody. so this is one of our last shows of 2012. it's been a fantastic year. 2013 shaping up to be especially better for "the five." i predicted it. we will be number one. thoughts on the year that was and the year in front of us. >> it has been incredible. 2012 was such a busy an interesting news year. so many stories. outcomes we couldn't have predicted. we covered the election. that was obviously a daily endeavor to get through it. >> eric: that wasn't so much fun. [ laughter ] >> kimberly: watched debates. romney did great on the first debate. we talked perhaps he could have done better on the second and the third. how it changed the landscape of the election. the ups and the downs. the superstorms. so many things came in to pla play. and what part they had.

>> eric: we had a lot of fun. >> andrea: one of my favorite moment on "the five" is bob chugged the milkshake from twinkies. a lot of you didn't see it but bob ripped off the microphone because he got physically ill and ran off the set. poor guy. it was really funny to watch him chug the milkshake. we have had a lot of fun at "the five." >> kimberly:or time he threw up after chicken wing eating contest. >> eric: that was my favorite show. you had a contest. dan ab dunked him. everything came off. >> notice a theme. everything you're so happy about. beckel. >> eric: yeah. >> he's suffering. >> eric: a great time with you this year, too. we had fun. what do you make of it coming down from d.c. and hanging out with us? >> juan: the emotional quotient is so high. it's so different than doing news from d.c. there we are focused on what is happening. but here, you guys actually,

you know you step back. and you laugh at it. i think that is totally cool. i just think in fact it makes the show a success, so much fun to watch. >> andrea: i think you are saying that we're more fun than bret baier from "special report." >> juan: that is it. all of my buddies -- >> krauthammer. >> we're a good time. just good time girl. >> eric: they are smart. >> juan: no, i'm just telling you -- conspiracy theories, i would never otherwise be exposed to. i can come here. >> try to make you happy. >> andrea: quit while you're ahead. >> juan: really. >> eric: what do you -- >> what do i make out of this whole thing? >> i want to take today to say i'm here for greg gutfeld. i'll be taking over for him. fox news alert. no, i remember when the show was put together. i thought, i'm so jealous. i want to be on the show so badly. it's a cool crew.

you do your mixing around. you gel together. you're such interesting and different personalities be you come together really well. it's really successful show. i have to say, i have liberal friends who watch the show constantly because they're enar moreed by the -- enamored by you a bob. funny. >> eric: maybe you can weigh in on this. a lot of liberals watch the show because they want to see the interaction going back and forth. do you catch heat from the liberal buddys? >> i catch heat for working for fox. but i'm saying look -- >> better than npr. >> juan: hey! but i'm going to say, you know what? 5:00 in the afternoon, you got to remember, remember what the show replaced. everybody said how can you replace beck. we are doing great. and at 5:00 you know what? this is show a lift. it feels to me like an elixir. after the day of news and this and that and whatever is going on in your life and you have the kids or the job.

you watch "the five," you feel good. >> eric: we have fun. >> i have been here for 16 years. it did "fox and friends" the weekend, wild and crazy show and did serious news. a lot of people work on the show talk about how it reminds them of that kind of time. you elevated it to a much higher and much more dignified level than we ever did. >> andrea: we take it to a more dignified level? >> frighteningly yes. >> aren't you supposed to be booked on fox and friends tomorrow morning? >> look, my phone is going off. talking about the old fox and friends years ago. >> that is what i love about her. she tells it like it. it's refreshing. you do. >> the other day -- >> we like it here on "the five." >> we did a story about a woman too sexy for her job? remember that. >> here we go, juan. just i got to say. why -- >> juan: i got to say. there are very attractive women on this show.

>> eric: i warned that, i warned all the fellow five, female fivers they are going to a pink slip in the mail. >> too hot. >> andrea: what do you want? you need to borrow money? >> kimberly: we like the compliments. >> juan: c'mon, you're the best. >> eric: rarely, we have an extra guest sit in. we make "the five" the six, dennis miller, sarah palin. bill o'reilly. we had karl rove. very quickly, favorite? >> kimberly: dennis miller. >> eric: miller? they're in my ear. we are going to toss this to doug mckelway who is sitting in "special report" for bret baier. doug, take it away, sir.

>> doug: i am doug mckelway in for bret baier on "special report." president obama is going to address the nation. the question is whether the talks pushed them apart or got them closer to a deal with three days away from fiscal cliff. ed henry standing by in the briefing room. what are you hearing? >> senior white house official says the president told the republican leaders he wants up or down vote on the scaled back plan. he said that then the senate leaders jumped in and said they think they can get a bipartisan plan. the president told senators reid and mcconnell, i'm told they have a day or two to getting a deal done. otherwise we're out of time. he wants an up or down vote or the plan. at that point, john boehner was noncommittal and not say if he would bring it up for a vote. said wait until we cross the bridge. we are close to that bridge. president plan has tax cut for middle class and small spending cut to try to stop the equester that -- sequest

they're is coming, perhaps but not major spending cut or entitlement reform like republicans are pushing for. they are coming up with a threshold for taxes? $250,000 or $400,000 or less? i'm told that a late sticking point added is the estate tax. as you know, people can shield $5 million from the estate tax. at the end of the year it changes to shield $1 million. rate is going up from 35% 55%. they are looking to add it to this at this late hour and that could make it complicated. >> doug: a bit of a contrast to what we had seen earlier. you suggested on the air and widely expected since the congressional leaders at the white house, this afternoon did not come out to speak to reporters. that was a bad sign but they

waited until they got to the senate to make pronouncements, which seemed encouraging indeed. >> senator reid and others say it was constructive meeting but they haven't given us detail. here is the president. >> good afternoon, everybody. for the past couple of months i have been working with leaders of both parties to forge an agreement to grow our economy and shrink the deficit. the balance plan that would cut spending in a responsible way, but also ask the wealthiest americans to pay a little more. above all protect the middle class and everybody who is striving to get in to the middle class. i still want to get it done. this is the right thing to do for the families, businesses and the economy. but the hour for immediate action is here. it is now. we're now at the point where in just four days every americans' tax rates are scheduled to go by law.

every americans' paycheck will get considerably smaller. that would be wrong for the economy, bad for middle class families and bad for businesses that depend on family spending. fortunately, congress can prevent it from happening if they act right now. i just had a good and constructive discussion at the white house with the leadership in the senate how to prevent tax hike in the middle class. i'm optimistic we may still be able to reach an agreement that can pass both houses in time. senators reid and mcconnell are working on such an agre agreement as we speak. if an agreement isn't reached in time between senator reid and senator mcconnell then i will urge senator reid to bring to the floor a basic package for an up-or-down vote.

one that protects the middle class from the income tax hike, extends the vital lifeline of the unemployment insurance to 2 million americans looking for a job. and lays the groundwork for future cooperation, more economic growth. deficit reduction. guys, i can hear you over there. i believe such proposal could pass both houses with bipartisan majorities. as long as the leaders allow it to actually come to a vote. if members of the house or senate want to vote no, they can. let even vote. that is the way this is supposed to wok. if you get majority in the house and majority in the senate we should be able to pass a bill. so the american people are watching what we do here. obviously their patience is already thin. this is day >> andreadeja vu all overagain. they wonder why in this town for some reason you can't get stuff done in an organized

timetable. why everything has to wait until the last minute. we're now at the last minute. the american people are not going to have patience for a politically self-inflicted would to our economy. not right now. the economy is growing. but sustaining that trend is going to require elected officials to do their jobs. the housing market is recovering but that could be impacted if folks are seeing smaller paychecks. the unemployment rate is the lowest it's been since 2008. but already you see businesses and consumers starting to hold back because of the dysfunction they see in washington. economists, business leaders, all think that we are poised to grow in 2013. as long as politics in washington don't get in the way of america's progress. so we have to get this done. i just want to repeat.

we had a constructive meeting today. senators reid and mcconnell are discussing potential agreement. where we get a bipartisan bill out of the senate. over to the house and done in a timely fashion. so that we met the december 31 deadline. given how things have been working in this town, we always have to wait and see until it happens. one thing the american people should not have to wait and see is some sort of action. if we don't see an agreement between the two leaders in the senate, i expect a bill to go on the floor and i asked senator reid to do this, put a bill on the floor that makes sure that taxes on middle class families don't go up, that unemployment insurance is still available for 2 million people. and that lays the groundwork for additional deficit reduction and economic growth steps we can take in the new year. let's not miss this deadline.

that is the bare minimum we should be able to get done. it shouldn't that hard since democrats and republicans both say they don't want to see tax goes up on middle class families. i just to have to repeat. outside of washington, nobody understands how it is that this seems to be a repeat pattern over and over again. ordinary folks, they do their jobs, they meet deadlines. they sit down and they discuss things and then things happen. if there are disagreements they sort through the disagreements. the notion that our elected leadership can't do the same thing is mind boggling to them. needs to stop. so i am modestly optimistic agreement can be achieved. no one gets 100% of what they want. let's make sure that middle

class families and the american economy and the world economy aren't adversely impacted because people can't do their job. thank you very much. >> doug: there you have it. the president of the united states announcing the results of his meetal earlier this afternoon -- meeting earlier in afternoon with the bipartisan, bicameral group of the senate/house leaders and it appears to be a constructive meeting. that seems to be the consensus among reid and mcconnell who spoke from the senate floor within the past hour. from now. good evening, everyone. i'm doug mckelway in for bret baier. moments ago, as you saw, the president gave a press conference with three days until the fiscal cliff. about the latest white house meeting with congressional leaders saying it was indeed constructive. we have live fox team coverage. mike emanuel looks at the action in congress today. first, chief white house correspondent ed henry is in the briefing room where the

president just spoke. >> you heard the president himself pleading with republicans and democrats on the hill, too, in his words to at least meet the one deadline, saying that the grand bargain, $4 trillion debt deal is far out o reach. but thinks they can at least do a modest package to prevent everyone's taxes going up at the end of the year. it note he made clear that this was only a possible agreement. they said he was only modestly optimistic, as the senate leaders right now, start work on just trying to scramble to put together some sort of a deal. >> timing, we are out of time. the next if hours will be important. >> with the nation on the vernal of the largest tax increase since world war ii, president obama called congressional leaders to white house for one last desperate shot at deal. max baucus says he sees a slim down agreement starting to gel, because the pressure on all sides is